The messages keep coming, often written in all caps.
They might say things like: “Save Pennsylvania with a 6X match” or “Terrible: If Ted Cruz and Kali Lake win, Kamala’s majority will be gone. Save the Senate with a 5X match.” Donate.”
We may also request campaign contributions from candidates running for state legislature or local sheriff.
It’s not your imagination. We are receiving far more political fundraising texts than ever before. Researchers at cybersecurity firm Proofpoint say the volume of political spam has increased 67% since June, when it was already on the rise.
The good news is that while these messages may potentially look like scams, the vast majority are just spam, says Stuart Jones, director of Cloudmark at Proofpoint.
They are only scratching the surface of a scammer’s playbook. Just like online cybercriminals looking to steal your money and personal information, campaigns want you to hand over your donations before you think twice.
“The campaign is asking for swift action,” Jones said. “Like scammers, they’re trying to evoke an emotional response, so there’s a similarity there. That’s kind of the blessing and curse of mobile messaging.”
Jones said both cybercriminals and political campaigns are increasingly moving to mobile platforms because that’s where their targets lie. The majority of American voters now own a smartphone. You can review and respond to messages within minutes, much faster than if you sent them as email.
That said, there’s nothing stopping scammers from posing as political action committees or campaigns, and consumers considering donating need to be sure their money is going where they want it to go. Yes, he said.
For example, you should ignore messages that promise large amounts of matching funds if you donate within 10 minutes. Instead of clicking links in text, go directly to the campaign or PAC’s website by doing a Google search or typing directly into your browser.
Reply “STOP” to stop receiving messages. You can also block individual numbers and report them as spam.
And when it comes to PACs, just because they’re registered doesn’t mean they’re legal. Voters should do their research and vet PACs before giving them money.
Unfortunately, that can be difficult with text-based campaigns. Links in several fundraising text messages analyzed by CNET led to sites supported by Democratic fundraising site ActBlue. But it was unclear which PAC was behind it, especially on the relatively small screen of an average-sized cell phone.
ActBlue, which is technically a registered PAC but serves as a secure payment platform for grassroots donations, said Thursday that it does not send emails or text messages to candidates or conduct its own fundraising efforts. stated. Groups using its platform to raise funds must abide by ActBlue’s terms of service, which prohibit fraud. But the platform does not actively vet claims made by campaigns or PACs in their messages or on the ActBlue site.
“Our nonprofit platform is designed with transparency and empowerment in mind, empowering donors to support the candidates, committees, and organizations of their choice while enforcing strict anti-fraud compliance policies. We now have complete control over our donations,” ActBlue said in a statement.
WinRed, a Republican-leaning site that also promotes donations to PACs and campaigns, did not return an email seeking comment.
As we approach the final weeks of the election and many races are extremely close, Jones expects the volume of political spam to continue to increase. Voters irritated by the messages will likely have to delete or block many.
“And certainly, if it looks suspicious and you’re not sure if it’s legal, please report it,” he said.
